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JOHN CORYN (c.1564-1619), son of Richard Coryn, was born in St Gerrans. He was of that parish when he married Thomasin Trenance on 14 October 1590 at Lanhydrock, her home parish near Bodmin. She was aged 21, and was the fourth daughter of Thomas Trenance, whose mother had inherited lands at Lanhydrock from the Littleton family(10).
In 1584, the cartographer John Norden referred to 'Tregavethan, the house of John Curran,' but the family is usually associated with Treworther, or Treworder, or Trevorder. Treworder was the seat of William Vyell and his wife, Jane Arundell of Trerice, until William's death in 1598, leaving six daughters but no surviving sons(11).
We know a considerable amount about John Coryn from litigation which came before the Court of Chancery around the end of the sixteenth century, although it is not always easy to deduce the truth of how lands came into the family's possession from the web of conflicting evidence adduced by the litigants.
In addition to lands in Gerrans, legal proceedings mention properties in St Erme (Tryganning Vintor and Tredageny), in Roche (Bodardall, and the parish advowson), in Bodmin, in St Keverne and in Kenwyn (Cuverden, alias Kyverden, and Pendalharva).
A case brought against him on 4 November 1586 by John Nampyn, junior, concerned the lease of Treyvaseck, in St Gerrans which it was claimed John Coryn had obtained by fraud..
In another example, in 1590 (33 Eliz.), a John Challenor, gent., 'late of London', held half a tenement called Penventyneo (Penventennow) in Kenwyn, on the demise of John Coryn, which he sold on 30 October to Hugh Michell for 40 marks. But, in the words of the plaint, John Coryn 'being very desirous to get the said terme and estate into his owne hands, beganne to deale with the said John Chalyner and William his sonne' to get them to surrender the estate, although he knew it had been sold, offering to pay more than the 40 marks for it. This led to litigation, though it is not clear at this stage what the outcome was(12). John Coryn's reply (on 4 May 1598) bound the saga of the tenement up with land at Treworder, Polmough, Caverden and Pouhalderta (sic?), and with a debt of £20 owed by Thomas Vivian in the right of Anne his wife to a Truro merchant, William Roberts, and claimed that Challenor's title was a 99-year lease, but the details are confused.
In 1594 (37 Eliz.), John Coryn of Treworther, gent., bought lands at Trevellan and Penafounder in Kenwyn, which were to feature in a later lawsuit. He bought them from Richard Wolfe of Ashbrenton, an attorney of the Court of Common Pleas. The premises were warranted by John Trevellan and Edwarde Daniell. The cost was £30. The transaction was completed later in the same year, when lands at Gonwollas and commons of pasture, estovers and turbary in Cosgolynsco (als Cosgwyniow) were added, and the consideration for this was £120. The deeds were handed over at Thomas Trenance, Esq.'s mansion house at Lanhydrock. The fine was completed in 1597, and the land contained one house and toft, two gardens, two orchards, '20 acres, 10 meadow, 20 pasture (sic), 5 wood, 20 heath, 5 moor' There was also a right of estovers in Allett Wood, and of pasture at Cardege in Kenwyn. These lands were leased to William Hatch of St Sephoryan (St Severian) on 10 September 1600 for 200 marks, at a rent of £3. John reserved shares in seven acres of Trevellan Wood, which was a source of coppice and charcoal.
William Hatch, gent., died before 1612, and the land was leased to John Wayght. Provision was made that 'they shall grind all their corne (which they shall convert into bread and drynk (sic) yn the house of Trevellan) at the grist mills of the said John Coryn called Polmough Mills.' John Coryn also reserved land at Gonwallas 'in the tenure of Henry Horwell', a grove of trees, and mining rights.
This led to a lawsuit with Sir John Arundell of Trerice(13). On 10 November 1615, one Charles Grilles borrowed six oxen and a plough for the day, and ploughed up seven and a half acres of wheat at Gonwollas which John had ploughed, sown and harrowed. He did this on behalf of Sir John Arundell and of Anthony Trevillian, who claimed the land was theirs. The ploughing of the field led John Coryn to 'gently unyoke a couple of the oxen', which he impounded. The parties then sued each other for trespass. On behalf of John Coryn, it was proved that the land had been sold to him, and that he had 'cut trees, furzes and fernes' and sown corn and hay, and cut 'three great trees upon Gonwollas to build the house of Penanvounder.' Sir John Arundel said he had kept his sheep on Gonwollas, with the consent of old William Trevellan, and had cut trees there. John Coryn won the case.
John Coryn's arms were Argent, a millrind in pale, between four Cornish choughs sable. It is said that these were granted at Queen Elizabeth's visitation in 1573, but there is no authority for this. It is also said that the family motto was Forti et fideli nil difficile(14). These arms are similar to those borne by John Coren of St. Stephen's in Brannel (according to Pascoe's Cornish Armory), and also by Hugh Coren, or Curwen, Archbishop of Dublin.
It is probable that John was active in trade. A 1614 lawsuit(15) concerned a 'herring or pilchard seane, boat, oars and other tackle' owned by John Coryn and Francis Glover, a Plymouth merchant. William Lukey, a yeoman of St Columb the Lesser, and William Peares, gent., from the same parish operated the boat. The four had bought an additional seine net, worth £100 (three times the value of the previous net). The fishery made no profit, so the two St Columb men held on to the boat and nets saying they should be paid under a Bill of Employment. It is not known how the case ended.
Around this time, John accumulated substantial landholdings in Devon and Cornwall. In 1609, he is mentioned in the will of Hannibal Vyvyan of Trelowarren - probably related through John's mother. Hannibal left an eighth part of the lordships of Trinton, Tiverton, Exmester, Adelbury Wood, and Great and Little Crookhorne (Crewkerne) to the use of Arthur Harris, Esq., Edward Herle, Esq., Philip Mayowe, Esq., John Samuell, Esq., Humphrey Yorke, Esq., and John Coryn, Gent(16).
In 1613, John was appointed as an overseer or executor in the will of William Glynn of Wendron, together with William's brother Nicholas.(17) The Glyn family was influential, and Nicholas Glyn, who was to be John Coryn's executor, was Sheriff of Cornwall in 1620. They described themselves as 'of Glynn in the parish of Cardenham.' William was the third son of John Glynn of Boyton, and had been baptized there on 4 August 1581. He was buried at Wendron on 3 February 1613. His wife was Mary Roscrowe of Roscrow, another family described as kinsfolk(18).
We have a particularly detailed account of John Coryn's acquaintance with the Roscrowe family, as in 1614 he was called upon to give evidence in a family dispute over the wastes of Tregowith and Penrose(19). At this time John gave his age as 'fifty or thereabouts'. The case can be summarized best with a tree:
| Thomas Roscrowe | |||
| | | | | | | | |
| John d.1611 'Gent' | Thomas | Peter | Richard | Peter |
John and Thomas had both recently died, the latter aged over 50, and childless. Peter senior was also unmarried, and his nephew was complaining that he had 'entreated the defendant to accept a reasonable sum of money to have the wastes.... (He) was willing that the defendant should have use of them during his lifetime, but (the defendant) had refused.' John Coryn had not known the grandfather, but had known Richard for 30 years, and the complainant and defendant for about eight. This points to a meeting between John Coryn and Richard Rescrowe in the mid-1580's - perhaps through the Glyns?
On 22 May 1619, John Coryn conveyed all his lands to two kinsmen, Peter Roscrowe of Penryn, gent., and Edward Vivian of Kea, gent., in trust for his wife and daughter. A week later he made his will, and shortly after this he died. His will was proved at Bodmin on 1 July 1619. His property left at death was valued at £205/17/4 - most of his estate had been given away already. His executor was another kinsman, Nicholas Glyn.
The precise wording of his will, and the accompanying inventory are interesting:
In the name of God Amen. The nyne and twentith day of Maye in the yeare of our lord god one thousand six hundred and nyneteene. I John Coryn of Treworder in the countie of Cornwall gent Being weake in bodie but of perfect memorie I prayse god for it Revoking all former wills and testaments by me at any time heretofore made do make this my last will and testament in manner and forme following that is to say. First I commend my soul into the hands of Almightie god my Creator and Redeemer and I commit my body to Christian buriall to be buried in the south Chancell of the parrish Church of Kenwyn by the south wall above the chancell dore. Item I give and bequeath unto the stock and store of the parish of Kenwyn for the better releife of the poore of the sayd parish xl s the stock to remayne to the parishioners of Kenwyn and the use thereof after the rate of x L per CL to be bestowed and disbursed yearlie by the overseers of the poore of the sayd parish to the use of the poore thereof. Item I give and bequeath towards the reparation of the Church of Kenwyn two ewe sheepe to be kept and pastured upon Penhalbrew and the increase of them not exceeding iiij sheepe in all to be bestowed yearlie towards the reparation of the said church. Item I give and bequeath unto Alice Nicholas Widdow my sister one heyfer of two yeares old. Item I give and bequeath unto my cosen Edward Vivian one horse colt and my cosin Jane Vivian his wife one mare colt. Item I do entreat my faithfull frend and loving kinsman Nicholas Glyn Esquire to be overseer of this my last will and testament and do repose especiall trust in hym to assist my wife my sonne and my daughter about the ordering of my goods lands and tennaments and in remembrance of my love I do give unto him a colt of my herryot mare and his charyot to be borne about the travelling of myne affayres. All the rest of my goods and chattels not given or bequeathed I give and bequeathe unto Tamsyn my wife and I do make and ordayne the sayd Tamsyn my wife whole and sole executrix of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof to this my present last will and testament I have put my hande and seale.
There follows an account and inventory:
An Inventory of all the goods Chattels & debts of Joh Coryn Late of Treworder within the parishe of Kenwyn in the County of Cornwall gent deceased praised by Oppye (?) Morsa Roger Daniell Thomas Tregian and Nicholas Jennings the second daye of Julye Anno domn 1619
Imprimis his apareell boots and spoors xl s
It six oxen xiiij li
It six yene (?) and two sucking calves x li x s
It five younge Bulockes of two years old v li
It three yearlinges xl s
It two rearing Calves xij s
It two Sowes one pigg and one boore xx s
It seven other litle weaning piggs vij s
It v Rams iij Yeowes and iiij lambs xlix s
It wheat in the grounde xij li
It five ackers of otes vj li
It two ackers of barlye iiij li
It a splat of peason xx s
It vij mares & two sucking colts x li x s
It iij naggs and a litle ston (?) horse v li
It two little Colts xij mounths old and a lame colt xxx s
It two paire of Ire bound wheals a wayne and a butt iij li x s
It iij youkes iij chaynes wth thir crokes & a share and cotter xij s
It iij old harnas xxiij haraetyns (?) whyps and hawes v s
It ij old shethes ii s
It one hay croke one sisqhe one shovell one Evett & old Iron xij s
It a Blowing house broche two ladels and aranger iiij s
It five collyers saddell trees ii s
It iij new yokes on plow beame and one plowe hale ii s
It old tymber xl s
It one Sadell and bridell v s
It one old Tynwayne ij s
It iij Tymber windowes new made x s
It one payre of panyers x d
It nine geese young and old and one ducke and one mallard iij s 8 d
It one Chattell lease in Treworder wast viiij li
It a chattell lease in Polglase xx li
It one chattell lease of a house In St Ives xl s
It in the dyninge Chamber one steed bed furnished and a
trokell bedsteed vj li
It one tabell bord vj Joynt stolles one cheare and one chist xl s
It two window coshings and ij carpets xij s
It In the middell chamber one bedsteed and bed furnished and
a square table xxx s
It In the hier Chamber one bedsted xvj s
It an old feather bed & iiij bolsters one pillow one paire
of blanketts and a Rodger xxxiij s 4 d
It a squar table bord ij stoles and a willow cheare iij s vj d
It one chest and a warming pane v s
It his bookes xiij s
It one standing and one urinall xiij d
It one old peare of Blowing house belowes & som old leather
and a little old Irone in the studye viij s
It in the hier meddell chamber a little truckell bedsteed ij s
It some stone pich and playster of pallys(20) v s
It in the chamber over the derye house one bedsteed and one
trockell bedsteed viij s ij d
It one old feather bed one paire blanketts one paire of
shetts and one coverled In the hie bedsteed xlvj s viij d
It one duste bed one bolster and one old coverled in the
trokell bedsteed vj s viij d
It in the same chamber one square table bord one chest and
one cheare viij s
It one paire of costletts furnished one paire of Curatts
furnished and one muskett fur iij li
It In the chamber over the butterye one beie besteed fur and
a trokell bedsteed iij li
It one litle paire of brass scals two glassing bottells and
two paynted dishes ij s
It one littell Gill broken and a old cheare ij s
It one hoskett iij old flasketts i s vj d
It one paire of doules shetts and one paire of holland shetts x s
It two old paire of canvase shetts iij s
It one diaper bord cloth and iij old diaper bord napkens
& two canvise bord cloths vj s viij d
It a xj old bord napkins one old bord cloth and ij towels iij s iiij d
It in the chamber over the entrye one old bedsteed wth
furnitur of old clothes one pecke and one kene xxvj s viij d
It one Iron bolt and ij Iron twists j s
It in the fesant chamber one little bedsteed and a old cobert iij s
It in the boyes chamber one bedsteed and old bedclothes
one winding shett and a foratt (?) barrell vj s viij d
It in the derye house one butter tubb and a vate j s
It two boules and a little blacke tyne in them and one
chese wrynge vj s
It in the Tyn house in the Entrye one bread barell ij flesh
tubbs and a drinke barrell v s
It five clowing potts vj d
It in the pastrye house v panns ij litle scrofe panns and
a little skellett l s
It one kene and iij tubbs ij s vj d
It in the litle house under the Geare two drinke barrells
and a gert tubb iij s
It in the ketchen one tabell bord and a forme iiij s 8 d
It two Crokes xvj s
It one old patch hoke and a bill hoke viij d
It one paire of Keckes and a dripen pan v s vj d
It iiij broches and ij paire of pott hangers vij s
It one gridell one toster & ij old shredding platters xiiij d
It one Kewe and ij tubbs and a chese selter iiij s ij d
It two old bucketts and a stewe viij d
It iij woden dishes one ladell & a cover of a croke iiij d
It ij brandishes a bare of Iron a broken fire pike and
a old drypen pane iiij s
It in the Buttery vj platters one pie plate vij s
It xij plates iij s
It one Bason and Ure one charger and one washing basson vj s viij d
It one standing potte of Tyne ij s
It vj tynninge dyshes xviij d
It two old costard dishes and iiij old tyning dyshes ij s
It vij other tynning platters iiij s viij d
It old molten scrafe of Tyn platters vj s
It iij brassen candelstickes & ij of tyne vij s
It one brassen Chafen dyshe iiij s
It two peres of a chafin dyshe & a tonader (?) vj d
It one tyning salt iiij tyning spones and a dryper j s
It fower chamber potts of Tyne iij s
It a box of Banquiten trenchers x d
It xxiij other trenchers vj d
It one treing copp one clowing copp one mustard pott & a
venegar bottle x d
It a bread grater and a tymber tankard vj d
It ij drinke hogsheads and iij drinke barrells vj s
It one bread barrell and a clonning pegger vj d
It one Cobbard iij s
It one little bord and a forme ij s
It one old sarke iij d
It one silver goblett one silver salte and viij silver spoones iij li vj s 8 d
It iiij drinke glasses iiij d
It one mustard mill xviij d
It in the pottry Court ij old cagese and one old barra vj d
It in the fishe house vij old kenes and a little feathers vj s
It two piggs Troffes of stone iij s
It iij old stockes of bees and v young swarms xvj s
It his wifes deske and her virginals x s
It idle mere stones for building xx s
It one mill stone befor the mill dore x s
It one pigs troffe ij s
It in the mill the toull huch ij bunting huches one old
tubb and a pecke v s
It in the Blowing house the tymber of a paire of old
bellowes and som small cole xv s
It in Parkeanstrife one old tree iij s iiij d
It all his Tynworkes in the Stannarie of Blackemoore vj li xiij s iiijd
It his bounds and Tynworks in the stannaries of Trewanhaill
and Penwith and Kerrer vj li xiij s iiijd
It for a chayne of a Ragge halfe worne v s
It desprt debts dew to the decesed... xxxij li
On John's death an inquisition was held, as he was a major landholder and his son was under age, by the Court of Wards(21). This listed his lands in Kenwyn, as well as at Lidcott and in Fore Street, Bodmin.
His wife Thomasin survived him by another 28 years. Her will was proved at Bodmin on 2 May 1648. It reads as follows (the edges are torn and illegible).
In the name of God Amen.
The nynth daye of Aprill in the yeare of....
thousand six hundred and ffortye and ffive.
I Thomasin C.............
Countye of Cornwall wydow.....of perfect Sense memorie................
given unto Almightye God for the same doe make and declare th.........
in writing in manner and forme following Revoaking thereby both in deed....
former wills and testaments by me att any tyme or tymes heretofore made.
First I...
unto Almighty God my Creator and unto Jesus Christ my only Saviour an.
death passion and sole meritts I stedfastly believe and am confidently persuade....
eternall Salvation.
And as for this my fraile and weake bodye which is but d......
bequeath yt to my mother Earth whereof yt came there to have a Christian and.......
ding to the discreation and I dispose of my executrices in this my last will nam...
appointed.
ITEM I give unto the poore of the parish of Kenwyn aforesaid Tenn S.....
unto my sonne John Coryn Three Shillings and Fower pense and my gre...
Chamber at Treworder emptied of all the things in yt.
ITEM I give unto............
of the saied John the Bedstead in the chamber over the milke..........
unto Jian one other daughter of the said John Coryn my Chest in my Studdy..........
Christobell Coryn the wyffe of the saied John Coryn my bedstead in the m...........
att Treworder aforesaied.
ITEM I give and bequeath unto William Jolley............
my Sonne in law Joseph Jolley of St Enoder gent all my right title....
Three paire of Tynbounds in St Austell called Creeglase als Badiff....
and bequeath unto Joseph Jolley the younger Second Sonne of thefore...
all my right and interest of in and unto all my Tynworks and bounds.(in Hensburrow)
called Penwynnowes to be carefully seen unto and disposed of for his..
his Minoritye by my daughter Johnan Jolley his mother.
ITEM I give and h..........
Beniamyn Jolley one other Sone of the forenamed Joseph Jolley my......
Milkehouse att Treworder aforesaid performed with all its appurts and o............
with all my right interest and demand in all those Tynworks and bounds.............
called Wheelanbush Our Lady Beam The Shode worke Nankevall(s work and Portmear)....
to be likewise disposed of for his use during his Minoritye by the foresayd........
Mother.
ITEM I give and bequeath unto Kathryn Jolley daughter of my sai...........
Joseph Jolley all my right in one paire of Tynbounds called Whelean(creeg in Creeg)
brose.
ITEM I give and bequeath unto Thomasyn Jolley one other daughter of........
Jolley all my right in one paire of Tynbounds called Whelanzens in C(reegbrose)....
and also the Bedd in the higher Chamber at Treworder aforesaid with the Co.........
Pillowes Blanketts Sheets Cortaines Vallancs and appurts to the same.
IT...........
I give and bequeath unto Johan one other daughter of the sd Joseph Jolley all my...
of Tynbounds called Whelanzens in Creagbrose aforesaied.
ITEM I give unto.........
Buckingham one yiw Sheep.
ITEM I give unto Grace Renffrey Three Yiw she...........
Margery Renffrey Three Yew Sheep.
ITEM I give unto the Three daughters of.........
Roch a yew lamb to each of them.
ITEM I give unto my Cosen Constance.....
Pike.
ITEM I give and bequeath unto Nathaniell Roch Thomas Renffrey and...........
to care of them one yew Sheepe whome I do hereby very earnestly request to.........
assisting my executries in looking unto preserving and keeping of all my...........
and works in St Austell Roch and elsewhere.
ALL THE REST of my goods and..........
moveable or immoveable not formerly given and bequeathed I do hereby give and......
Johan Jolley the wife of the aforesaid Joseph Jolley and Johan Jolley the daugh....
Joseph and Joane whome I doe hereby make ordain constitute and appoint.............
of this my last will and testament.
In witnesse whereof I have hereu..............
William Trevethacke William Mundey
John Richard John Thomas als Skaverne
Signed Malechie Bucknell
An inventory is attached of 24 items untotalled (amounting to £93/12/8 + an illegible sum), including tynbounds valued at £5.
John and Thomasin Corin had three children: 1 RICHARD CORYN (159?-1615), alive in September 1600. He fell ill in mid-1615, and died on 16 June 1615, leaving his affairs in the hands of Peter Reskrow. His will, proved 26 October 1619, reads:
Witnessed that the xij th day of June 1615 Richard Coryn in the presence of his mother and sister and Mr George Beare and Anne Pawly widow said that he did make and ordayne Mr Peter Reskrow thelder his whole and sole executor and did give unto him all that he had or then ought to have. And in lyeu(?) hereof he did pray him to be good to his mother his syster and to his brother. Then the xvj th day of the sayd month two or three houres before his death he repeated all the foresayd words in the presence of Richard Wynne Mary Skowell and some others.
Little more is known of Joseph and Joan Jolly, but they had six children:
2.2 JOSEPH JOLLY, a minor in 1645, who also inherited tinbounds at Penwymones.
2.3 BENJAMIN JOLLY, who inherited other tinworks.
2.4 KATHRYN JOLLY, who inherited tinbounds at Whealanzins.
2.5 THOMASIN JOLLY, who inherited tinbounds, and a bed.
2.6 JOAN JOLLY (162?-?), who inherited tinbounds at Whealanzins and at Creegbrose in Kenwyn. She also called herself JANE. She married William Gully of St. Enoder before 24 June 1656. She had died before 1704. Her husband died in 1668.
In Joan's will, she left her tinbounds to her daughter-in-law Ann Gully. This led to an action in the Stannary Court by her brother Joseph, who claimed to be the owner of Wheelanboies and Wheelanzins. The case was heard on 6 June 1704(22). Ann obviously believed the bounds were hers, and a paper survives which she has endorsed: "My dear, This paper which are 2, you have one and this is the other, you must keep very clos to yourself & let no one at all know of them for they are kept clos in cas any one of those people should lay any claim to any on of them. These are to satisfie no one but your own selfe and let no one peruse them but your own self. There are many that are compt to claim but have no proof so that is good for nothing." Fishy business?
William and Joan Gully had three sons:
2.6.1 FRANCIS GULLY.
2.6.2 THOMAS GULLY.
2.6.3 TYMOTHY GULLY, who was the husband of the Ann Gully of Liskeard mentioned above.
3 JOHN CORYN (1602-16??) was John and Thomasin's third child. We meet him next.